Prime Minister stresses on the welfare of the autistics
Dhaka, (Barta24.com): Awami League chief and Prime Minister (PM) Sheikh Hasina told here that the autistic or challenged children are no more liabilities of the society rather through proper care and training they can be made assets of the country. She further told that the mothers of autistic children should not be blamed. We should be more responsible and sympathetic to them, she added.
She said that, “when an autistic baby is born, mostly the mother is blamed. But for autistic baby the parents are not responsible. I hope in future you will not blame particularly the mother. Because giving birth to an autistic baby is also painful to a mother. Almighty Allah has created the baby, so we should not ignore them as a sensible man.”
On Tuesday (April 2) she was speaking here as the chief guest of the function organized in connection with the observance of ‘ 12th World Autism Awareness Day’ held at Bangabandhu International Conference Center.
Prime Minister said that we talk of humanity, human rights but take little care about the underprivileged autistic and challenged children of the society and called upon all to make sure that the neglected classes are properly cared. Because they are none but our own kith and kin.
She described the measures taken by the government so far and said that we will build a sports complex at Savar for the challenged and a practice area on 4.5 acres of land adjacent to Sangsad Bhavan. Meanwhile we have built an Institute at BSMMU where a baby will be scanned immediate after birth to determine whether he or she is challenged or not. Arrangements have also been made for diagnosing a new born to determine his or her congenital problems and necessary treatment will be given. We have taken up this program in four medical colleges of the country where doctors will be trained up for identifying the autistic children along with treatment. This will help the autistic to return to normal life, it is expected, the Prime Minister said.
Sheikh Hasina told that we have constituted ‘Challenged people’s rights and its protection law-2013 and Neuro development protection trust law- 2013. Simultaneously we made Neuro development fund for the welfare of the autistic children. In that fund Taka 70 crore 97 lakh was donated on behalf of the government. There are 10 lakhs challenged people in the country. We are giving Taka 700.00 per month to each challenged person. We are also giving 90 thousand challenged students Taka 700.00 to Taka 1200.00 every month as stipend with the object of prosecuting their studies.
We have constituted ‘Suchana Foundation’ with the cooperation of my daughter for intensive care of the children with neurological problems. We have set up an office at Bangabandhu Memorial Trust to train up the guardians of children with Neuro problems. In coming days its activities will be spread across the country, the Prime Minister said.
She called upon the rich people of the country to come forward and help the autistic children in the welfare activities of the government. She told the rich that if you arrange the employment for them then life will be meaningful. She asked them to give special attention towards the challenged so that their lives become better.